NewzIntel.com

Category: Trump

  • MIL-OSI China: Putin tells Trump Russia has to respond to Ukrainian attacks

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow would “have to respond” to the massive Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s strategic air bases days ago.

    Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account that he finished a phone call with Putin and discussed the attacks on June 1. It was the first time the U.S. president publicly talked about the operation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky touted being directed by himself.

    “We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides… President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump wrote.

    He said the Wednesday call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes, noting “It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Donald J. Trump Signs Travel Restrictions Executive Order

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.” –President Trump

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_1F7PxVT40

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand, Markey Slam Republican Plan To Rescind Over $1 Billion In Federal Funding For The Corporation For Public Broadcasting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Ed Markey led a group of 29 senators in slamming a Republican attempt to rescind $1.07 billion in already-allocated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds local public broadcasting stations across the country.  The $1.07 billion represents 100% of CPB’s funding through September 2027. This move follows President Trump’s executive order directing cuts to federal funding for PBS and NPR.  

    “Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio,” wrote the senators. “This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country. Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.”

    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports over 1,500 local public television and radio stations that provide free, high-quality programming to millions of households across America. It provides young children who don’t get the chance to attend preschool with educational content that helps them learn to read; airs highly trusted nightly news programming; and shares critical public safety information during emergencies. Local public television stations also provide extensive coverage of local government and elections and host candidate debates, helping Americans stay connected with their elected leaders. Because public television and radio relies heavily on federal funding to operate, particularly in rural communities, losing this funding would force many of these stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors.

    In addition to Senators Gillibrand and Markey, the letter was also signed by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).  

    The full text of the letter is available here or below:  

    Dear Majority Leader Thune,

    Federal investment in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports over 1,500 local and regional public television and radio stations that provide free, high-quality programming to millions of households across the country. Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio, as outlined in the Executive Order titled, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media” released on May 1, 2025. This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country.

    Our public broadcasting system is a unique American institution that is deeply embedded in our communities and a critical source of lifesaving public safety services, accurate information, and educational programming. The vast majority of the federal funding CPB receives is allocated to local radio and television stations across the country. These cuts will have an immediate and significant impact for stations in rural communities that heavily rely on CPB funding to provide critical services and could likely result in the elimination of programming or outright closure of stations in areas already faced with limited connectivity.

    According to Northwestern University, 55 million people in the United States have no or only one source of local news, and rural counties are far more likely to lose their local news outlets. This number could increase if the two-year advance appropriation for public media is not upheld, resulting in the drastic reduction or complete elimination of free, high-quality local programming. This is especially concerning given the importance of public broadcasting during public emergencies, such as natural disasters, transportation accidents, national security threats, or public safety matters. CPB funds are essential to ensuring that the broadcast infrastructure remains robust and operational in disaster situations, especially scenarios in which local public broadcasters serve as the only source of information for those who need a lifeline. Any cuts in funding will have drastic consequences for communities in need.

    And there is much more to their public safety services in addition to the critical local information they broadcast. Public television’s interconnection technology, which connects local public television stations to PBS, is also one of the backbone pathways for the delivery of our nation’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) services – enabling cell phone subscribers to receive geotargeted emergency text alerts no matter where they are in the country. A cut to public broadcasting funding would put this lifesaving service and its nationwide footprint at risk.

    Public television has also pioneered cutting edge technology that helps first responders communicate with each other over the broadcast spectrum without the need for mobile service or broadband. This datacasting technology and public television’s public safety partnerships is already helping with early earthquake warning and has been proven effective in a wide range of scenarios where broadband or cellular service are limited, including rural search and rescue, overwater communications, large event crowd control and more. But this is only possible if stations serving rural and remote areas with limited broadband are healthy and continue operating as they are today.

    On the education front, public television’s early childhood education services ensure that every family has access to high-quality, non-commercial educational content regardless of their ability to pay for such services. This is essential for over 50 percent of three and four-year old children who do not attend formal preschool.

    If funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is eliminated or rescinded, the impact would be devastating. Millions of people across the country whose stations rely on CPB funding for a significant percentage of their budget would be at risk of losing access to public television’s services. These are services that nobody else in the media world is providing, but it’s exactly the work for which public broadcasting was created, and they are delivering to our communities every day.  

    Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.

    We appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Whitehouse, colleagues demand answers from Justice Dept. on decision to shutter specialized unit for cracking down on global drug crime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and several of their colleagues sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi questioning the Department of Justice’s plan to end the successful Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. 

    “As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF ‘is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.’ OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States,” wrote the senators.

    The OCDETF program is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. In just the past two months, OCDETF resources have been used to secure prison sentences for two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina and to take down three prolific Chinese money launderers who have pled guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Many OCDETF investigations target the cartels’ financial networks, an often-overlooked component of the U.S. strategy to combat drug-trafficking organizations. In Fiscal Year 2023, OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling more than $423 million. 

    Reporting from Bloomberg revealed that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the OCDETF program, including its support for specialized investigators and prosecutors. Such a decision would kneecap America’s ability to dismantle cartels trafficking illicit fentanyl.

    “We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations. We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States,” added the senators.

    The senators requested answers to the following questions by June 13, 2025:

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    2. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how. 
    3. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
      1. Why is the department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
      2. How will the department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
      3. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations. How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
      4. How will the department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
      5. Does the department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    In addition to Senators Coons and Whitehouse, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

    The text of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Speaks at Axios AI + NY Summit

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul participated in Axios AI+ NY Summit fireside chat with Ina Fried.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Ina Fried, Axios: Next up, we are joined by a governor who’s putting AI front and center of her tech policy agenda. Please welcome New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Thanks so much. First off, I think we’re both big sports fans, although I think yours are more concentrated in Buffalo than my teams.

    Governor Hochul: I love all my New York teams. All the ones that play in New York in particular.

    Ina Fried, Axios: We have a very lively crowd.

    Governor Hochul: We can annex the Meadowlands and bring them back home for anybody’s paying attention. I think I’m going to run on that.

    Ina Fried, Axios: We just have to annex the Meadowlands.

    Governor Hochul: Trump can take Canada. I should at least be able to get the Meadowlands right.

    Ina Fried, Axios: You focused a lot on bringing high tech jobs to New York, not just AI but CHIPS. I think there was another announcement today, Global Foundries is going to increase its investment by another $3 billion. Talk about those efforts, but also in the context of what’s coming with AI. I mean, if the predictions are right, we had the Anthropic founder, Dario Amodei, saying, this could be half of jobs over a few years. Is it enough to just have incentives to bring high tech jobs here? If generative AI eliminates this many jobs, is even retraining feasible? Like what do we really need?

    Governor Hochul: No, it’s all in the realm of possibility. I want New York to be the home of innovation. We always have that. All the great inventions, all the technological revolutions that proceed. IBM is home here. Micron will soon find its way here, and that’s 50,000 jobs in upstate New York. I’m from Buffalo, as you may have figured out from the first question. That’s a lot. That’s for an economy that you see based on manufacturing and building. And my dad and grandpa were steelworkers and now my dad left a steel plant and started a tech company back in the sixties.

    So I’m hardwired to be part of an economy that’s devoted to risk. The people are willing to go out there and do something that’s quite unprecedented, but also the returns are very high. So I want New York to be that place that people look to as they already are. I mean, we have over 2,000 AI startups right now, but your question is, will these new jobs of manufacturing semiconductors, for example, and others, will that replace the jobs that can be lost?

    It does not have to be that way. AI can increase productivity dramatically. So why can’t we harness that to be the most productive nation on the planet — that we can have more output and use human capital in the ways that have not been harnessed before? Because people are too busy working on an assembly line in the past. Let’s take that talent and refocus it on innovation.

    We have a workforce, for example, of over 188,000. I have a plan to train 100,000 New York State employees. Train them in the uses of AI, how it can supplement us, how we can be more responsive to the public. I’m not looking to eliminate their jobs. I want them to have a better — have people have a better customer experience when they come into a DMV or other offices.

    So I see great potential here, and I leaned hard into this. We will talk about Empire AI I presume, but this is something that’s so natural. I’m very competitive. I’m proud that New York City is now the number one destination for new tech jobs. I mean, that’s us. I won’t name any other cities or what coast they’re on.

    Ina Fried, Axios: Before I came here, I left a few AI companies in San Francisco to come here.

    Governor Hochul: Anybody not a New Yorker here? I’m just pointing it out. This is the smartest people on the planet. They’re here and they’re saying they’re New Yorkers. So, just an observation.

    Ina Fried, Axios: Obviously as a sports fan, it’s hard to beat home field advantage. So jobs is obviously one big piece of this, but another is making sure that society is ready to adapt and use it safely. I want to broaden out, but one place to start — we had a conversation with Aura, which is a startup that’s working on, how do we make this safe for kids and families? And obviously that’s something you’ve also been focused on.

    How do you see the role of AI in education? You’ve had some bills around phone use, around deep fakes among students. How do we make sure that kids are learning the technology they need to be learning, but also protected from chatbots that might increase addiction and that sort of thing. What else do we need?

    Governor Hochul: No. New York State is nation-leading when it comes to protecting our children — and I can go into the details because we enacted these last year against a lot of opposition.

    But I said to the big tech companies that were saying, “Well, we were able to kill this in some other states. We plan on killing it in New York.” I said, “Why don’t you get out of the courtroom and come into my conference room and we’ll talk about this.” There is a path forward, but I know all of you have kids.

    And I’m sure you want someone to be looking out for them. Well, I’m New York State’s first Mom Governor, and I look out for all the kids. So that’s where I approach this from is what we can do to protect our children, but not unnecessarily constrained what AI is all about and the potential.

    So we did this, but I’ll tell you what’s most concerning is what Washington did — their House Republicans just did a few days ago — and if this gets through the Senate, it says that no state or municipality can regulate any form of artificial intelligence for the next decade.

    So that means my ban on sexual exploitation of young girls on social media and using AI and the fact that there are these AI undressing sites. In the first half of 2024, there were 16 sites that had 200 million views. I mean, this is what’s going on to our kids, our girls sitting in high schools, and we have to stop that.

    And so I have a whole list of reforms — I encourage every other state to undertake it because right now I am not holding my breath that Washington will have the courage to stand up and do what’s right, which really should be a nationwide policy to protect our children. We’ll keep at it. And I’m concerned. We’ll see the Trump administration in court, once again, because — and this is a real growth industry for lawyers, right? I’m getting sued, I’m suing them, and I’m a lawyer too, I’d probably make more money on the other side, but I like what I do.

    Ina Fried, Axios: So what I hear from the tech companies all the time is, “Oh, we’re fine with regulation, we just don’t want a patchwork of regulation. We don’t want different regulations in 50 states.” Are they being genuine when they say that or do they just not want regulation?

    Governor Hochul: Well, then here’s what we’ll do. We’ll let you work with New York State as we did. We’ll be the gold standard. I was just with a room full of crypto leaders yesterday. I said, “You want to do virtual currency in New York because we’ll have the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. We always do things to make sure it’s protecting our citizens, our consumers, our viewers, and we’ll always have the highest standards. So come join us, and then you can create it here with us and other states can replicate it. So I’m happy to do that.

    As a former member of Congress — really happy I’m not there right now — I know that this is really Washington’s responsibility, because it’s hard for companies to have a different policy they have to adhere to in 50 different states. That is not ideal.

    Ina Fried, Axios: So if we don’t want 50 regulations and Congress seemingly is not gonna do anything, could you work with other states?

    Governor Hochul: Oh yeah. Yeah.

    Ina Fried, Axios: Is there efforts already in that regard there?

    Governor Hochul: Yeah, there’s a democratic governor’s organization that is more forward thinking in this space, and we do work together, we share ideas. But our legislation is just one-year-old now, and I’m sure they want to see the — our law is one-year-old, the regulations are following, so there’s a little bit of work to do. But that’s exactly what we do, we share best practices.

    Ina Fried, Axios: So as we’ve alluded to, there’s a bunch of individual policies in place in New York, laws that have passed around things like kids’ privacy, deepfake porn. One thing New York doesn’t have is a real comprehensive statewide privacy law, similar to Washington and some other states. Does New York need a privacy bill?

    Governor Hochul: We’re looking at that as well. What we focused on primarily were kids right off the bat, and even with respect to social media algorithms, we are the first state in the nation to ban social media companies from bombarding our kids with algorithms throughout the day, and really many times taking them to a dark place. I mean, if a young person is contemplating suicide and they put in “suicide” and it comes back with — not resources and support and uplifting messages to make them think differently, it tells them how to commit suicide. So when we have triggering words like that that show up, we have our police alerted to that and others who are alerted to this.

    So this is what we’re focusing on, how to send out the warning signals of what can be done. But privacy is very important to us as well. We’ll get to that, I just need to take care of the kids first.

    Ina Fried, Axios: And on that front, you mentioned social media. That’s obviously been a huge concern for a long time is the impact that’s having on our kids. It seems like the next thing down the road is AI companions, where they’re not talking to a real person, but they’re talking to an AI companion. What should that relationship — should kids not be talking to AI companions at all?

    Governor Hochul: We have in our law, and I don’t know that other states have done this, that there has to be some warning or indication over and over that this is not a real person. This is not a real person. We have that in our laws now. We did that already just to give that young person just a reality check.

    And I can’t stop the whole phenomenon from happening, but the stories that have been coming out, not just the 14-year-old in Florida who committed suicide, but the New York Times did quite a story about all the different relationships. And adults can make their own decisions, kids are very impressionable, and those are the ones that we have to take the extra measure to protect.

    And we should not get any opposition from these companies at all. I mean, tell them it’s bad for your image to be standing up against a mom and protecting kids. I mean, just don’t even go there. It’s just not worth the fight.

    Ina Fried, Axios: So every now and then, folks who have been coming to this conference for a while know, I very occasionally give out a magic wand and allow someone to— if you could wave this magic wand and have the ideal regulation in place, what would it look like? So I’m going to let you borrow — you can’t keep it — borrow my magic wand.

    If you could wave your wand and have some ideal legislation in place around how AI can be embraced safely, what would be part of that package?

    Governor Hochul: Part of that would be that there’s a lot of education of people. People do not understand this gap between virtual reality and reality, and I’m afraid that’s something that a lot of kids are falling into.

    So, I would want to make sure that all your personal information is protected. What we did last year was our Child Protection Act — you cannot sell data collected on kids, anyone under 18; you cannot amass this data based on their preferences, where they’re going — you can no longer send algorithms to them; you can no longer sell that to other people. I think that’s something adults are entitled to as well. Those are some of the privacy protections. You can’t be capturing all this personal data and monetizing it. So that’s an area I think we should be focused more on and get some cooperation from the companies.

    Ina Fried, Axios: I know you leave a bunch of the court battles to your very active Attorney General — I get emails from her on a practically daily basis of what she’s challenging the White House on. What are the things that have happened in the first few months of the Trump administration that have you personally most concerned? What are the fights that you want more people to take up?

    Governor Hochul: You do not have enough time.

    Ina Fried, Axios: We got three minutes.

    Governor Hochul: God. I mean, my latest fight was to save offshore wind. They literally, on April 16, pulled the plug on a 10 year, $5 billion project from a company called Equinor from Norway, which will be powering 500,000 homes in Brooklyn with renewable energy. That is a big win for our climate, our renewable energy efforts, and to meet our climate goals. On April 16, the Secretary of Interior gave them a stop work order. The project was going to be stopped a few weeks ago. They’re losing $50 million a week.

    I went down to the White House; I had long conversations; I had more phone calls; and I’m proud to say we saved not just renewable energy, but 1,500 clean energy jobs in the process. So, that’s the most recent. They’re attacking congestion pricing every single month on the 21st — I get, basically, a hostage letter that if you don’t turn off the cameras, we’re going to kidnap you or whatever it is and I usually take it, and do a social media of it, and throw it away — here we go.

    So we’re fighting on that, but also on other areas about my rights to — we just had a win in court on that, where they’re threatening to withhold federal dollars. Anytime they don’t like something you do, whether it’s the State of Maine — my friend Janet Mills was subjected to this; we were together in the White House when she got harassed — they threatened withholding federal dollars. We just got a temporary restraining order from them threatening to withhold our federal dollars when it came. So that’s — I can’t keep it all straight.

    We litigated birthright citizenship. We’re going to have a lot of complicated challenges with the immigration issue. I have to testify before the House Oversight Committee on that very issue next week — really looking forward to that. You see who’s on that committee? Check it out. And, by the way, it’s someone who said, “I didn’t even read the bill. No, it’s a thousand pages.” Use ChatGPT to figure it out — right?

    They’re claiming they did not know that there was a 10 year ban on any social media. I mean, I’m sorry, any AI.

    Ina Fried, Axios: AI.

    Governor Hochul: “Oh, I didn’t know.” You voted for it. Just ask GPT. Anything I should worry about in here?

    Ina Fried, Axios: All right. I would love to keep the —

    Governor Hochul: Just some humble advice for them.

    I would love to keep the conversation going. Unfortunately, I know you have somewhere to go and we’re almost out of time. I have a quick question that I think only you can answer. So, I love buffalo sauce, but I don’t really like the bones.

    Ina Fried, Axios: Do boneless wings count?

    Governor Hocul: There’s chicken fingers.

    Ina Fried, Axios: That’s what my 12-year-old likes.

    Governor Hocul: Okay, chicken fingers are close enough, no one will mock you out, but the damning thing — if you ever eat chicken wings with ranch dressing, you’ll be barred from the entire region. Just don’t go. Just —

    Ina Fried, Axios: All right.

    Governor Hocul: Take it from me, everybody. That’s your pro-tip today. All right, so you heard it here: the Meadowlands is now part of New York, boneless wings are okay, but don’t you dare put them in ranch.

    Ina Fried, Axios: Thank you so much, Governor Hochul.

    Governor Hocul: Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: James Altucher: “America Just Hit the AI Reset Button”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BALTIMORE, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a new briefing, tech entrepreneur and bestselling author James Altucher reveals a development he says will “change America forever.”

    At the center of it is Project Colossus — a classified supercomputer initiative led by Elon Musk’s xAI — and backed by sweeping support from President Donald Trump.

    A Presidential Reversal with Massive Implications

    Altucher says the shift began with one of Trump’s first presidential actions in 2025.

    “In one of his FIRST acts as President… Donald Trump overturned Executive Order #14110.”

    This decision reversed Biden-era restrictions on AI research, which Altucher claims had “prevented us from unleashing its true power.”

    “Trump also announced the LARGEST AI investment in history… Stargate… a massive, AI data center and infrastructure project.”

    Hidden Inside a Warehouse in Memphis

    Altucher’s report reveals a facility in Tennessee that, until now, has gone largely unnoticed.

    “Right here, inside this warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee… lies a massive supercomputer Musk calls ‘Project Colossus.’”

    “It contains not just one or two… but 200,000 units of Nvidia’s all-powerful AI chips… making it the most advanced AI facility known to man.”

    “The fastest supercomputer on the planet.” — Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO

    July 1: “When It All Changes”

    According to Altucher, time is short. A critical update to Colossus is imminent.

    “That’s when I predict Elon could announce a major update to this new AI project. One that some say will essentially 10X its power – overnight.”

    Altucher refers to this moment as a “second wave” of AI — what he calls:

    “Artificial Superintelligence.”

    “This second wave… will rival all of the great innovations of the past. Electricity… the wheel… even the discovery of fire.”

    A Warning… and a Milestone

    Altucher closes his briefing with a quote from Vladimir Putin to stress the stakes:

    “Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world.” — Vladimir Putin

    He believes Project Colossus may determine whether America leads — or falls behind — in the AI race.

    About James Altucher

    James Altucher is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. A pioneer in AI since the 1980s, he previously worked on IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer and developed early AI trading systems on Wall Street. His latest research uncovers critical breakthroughs in AI infrastructure and the political forces accelerating its rise.

    Media Contact:
    Derek Warren
    Public Relations Manager
    Paradigm Press Group
    Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restricts the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    COMBATING TERRORISM THROUGH COMMON SENSE SECURITY STANDARDS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to protect the nation from foreign terrorist and other national security and public safety threats from entry into the United States.
    Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14161, issued on January 20, 2025, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” national security agencies engaged in a robust assessment of the risk that countries posed to the United States, including regarding terrorism and national security.
    In Trump v. Hawaii, the Supreme Court upheld the President’s authority to use section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to protect the United States through entry restrictions.
    The Proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries found to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
    The Proclamation partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 7 countries who also pose a high level of risk to the United States: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
    The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.
    SECURING OUR BORDERS AND INTERESTS: The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.
    It is the President’s sacred duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people.
    After evaluating a report submitted by the Secretary of State, in coordination with other cabinet officials, President Trump has determined that the entry of nationals from certain countries must be restricted or limited to protect U.S. national security and public safety interests.
    The restrictions are country-specific in order to encourage cooperation with the subject countries in recognition of each country’s unique circumstances.
    Some of the named countries have inadequate screening and vetting processes, hindering America’s ability to identify potential security threats before entry.
    Certain countries exhibit high visa overstay rates, demonstrating a disregard for U.S. immigration laws and increasing burdens on enforcement systems.
    Other countries lack cooperation in sharing identity and threat information, undermining effective U.S. immigration vetting.
    Some countries have a significant terrorist presence or state-sponsored terrorism, posing direct risks to U.S. national security.
    Several countries have historically failed to accept back their removable nationals, complicating U.S. efforts to manage immigration and public safety.
    MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: President Trump is keeping his promise to restore the travel ban and secure our borders.
    President Trump: “We will restore the travel ban, some people call it the Trump travel ban, and keep the radical Islamic terrorists out of our country that was upheld by the Supreme Court.”
    In his first term, President Trump successfully implemented a travel ban that restricted entry from several countries with inadequate vetting processes or significant security risks.
    The Supreme Court upheld the travel ban, ruling that it “is squarely within the scope of Presidential authority” and noting that it is “expressly premised on legitimate purposes.”
    This Proclamation builds on President Trump’s first-term travel ban, incorporating an updated assessment of current global screening, vetting, and security risks.
    JUSTIFICATION FOR FULL SUSPENSION BY COUNTRY
    Afghanistan
    The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan.  Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.  According to the Fiscal Year 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report (“Overstay Report”), Afghanistan had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 9.70 percent and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 29.30 percent.
    Burma
    According to the Overstay Report, Burma had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 27.07 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 42.17 percent.  Additionally, Burma has historically not cooperated with the United States to accept back their removable nationals.
    Chad
    According to the Overstay Report, Chad had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 49.54 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.64 percent.  According to the Fiscal Year 2022 Overstay Report, Chad had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 37.12 percent.  The high visa overstay rate for 2022 and 2023 is unacceptable and indicates a blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws.  
    Republic of the Congo
    According to the Overstay Report, the Republic of the Congo had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 29.63 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.14 percent.
    Equatorial Guinea
    According to the Overstay Report, Equatorial Guinea had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 21.98 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 70.18 percent.
    Eritrea
    The United States questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents in Eritrea. Criminal records are not available to the United States for Eritrean nationals.  Eritrea has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.  According to the Overstay Report, Eritrea had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 20.09 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.43 percent.
    Haiti
    According to the Overstay Report, Haiti had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 31.38 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 25.05 percent.  Additionally, hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration.  This influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats. As is widely known, Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States. 
    Iran
    Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.  Iran regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government in identifying security risks, is the source of significant terrorism around the world, and has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. 
    Libya
    There is no competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents in Libya.  The historical terrorist presence within Libya’s territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry into the United States of its nationals.
    Somalia
    Somalia lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.  Somalia stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects.  A persistent terrorist threat also emanates from Somalia’s territory.  The United States Government has identified Somalia as a terrorist safe haven.  Terrorists use regions of Somalia as safe havens from which they plan, facilitate, and conduct their operations.  Somalia also remains a destination for individuals attempting to join terrorist groups that threaten the national security of the United States.  The Government of Somalia struggles to provide governance needed to limit terrorists’ freedom of movement.  Additionally, Somalia has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.
    Sudan
    Sudan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.  According to the Overstay Report, Sudan had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 26.30 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 28.40 percent. 
    Yemen
    Yemen lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.  The government does not have physical control over its own territory.  Since January 20, 2025, Yemen has been the site of active U.S. military operations.
    JUSTIFICATION FOR PARTIAL SUSPENSION BY COUNTRY (Immigrants and Nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J Visas)
    Burundi
    According to the Overstay Report, Burundi had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 17.52 percent. 
    Cuba
    Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism.  The Government of Cuba does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States.  Cuba has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.  According to the Overstay Report, Cuba had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 7.69 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 18.75 percent.
    Laos
    According to the Overstay Report, Laos had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 34.77 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 6.49 percent.  Laos has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. 
    Sierra Leone
    According to the Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent.  Sierra Leone has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. 
    Togo
    According to the Overstay Report, Togo had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 19.03 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.05 percent. 
    Turkmenistan
    According to the Overstay Report, Turkmenistan had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.74 percent. 
    Venezuela
    Venezuela lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.  Venezuela has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.  According to the Overstay Report, Venezuela had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 9.83 percent.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Directs Review of Certain Presidential Actions

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    INVESTIGATING EXECUTIVE ACTIONS UNDER BIDEN’S PRESIDENCY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing an investigation into who ran the United States while President Biden was in office.
    The Memorandum directs an investigation into whether certain individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercise the authorities and responsibilities of the President.
    The Memorandum also mandates an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Biden’s purported execution of the numerous executive actions during his final years in office, examining policy documents signed with an autopen, who authorized its use, and the validity of the resulting Presidential policy decisions.
    QUESTIONING WHO WIELDED THE EXECUTIVE POWER DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: The combined nature of Biden’s documented cognitive decline and the repeated use of an autopen raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of his actions.
    Reports indicate that, for years, Biden suffered from serious cognitive decline.
    For example, although the Department of Justice found that Biden had violated the law by willfully retaining and disclosing classified materials, it ultimately concluded that Biden was unfit to stand trial given his incompetent mental state.

    Biden’s cognitive issues and apparent mental decline were reportedly even “worse” in private, with those closest to him attempting to conceal it from the public.
    Biden’s advisors severely restricted his news conferences and media appearances, scripting his conversations with lawmakers, government officials, and donors.

    Despite Biden’s cognitive deficiencies, the White House issued over 1,200 Presidential documents, appointed 235 judges to the Federal bench, and issued more pardons and commutations than any Administration in U.S. history.
    Just two days before Christmas in 2024, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 most vile and monstrous criminals on Federal death row, including several child killers and mass murderers.

    The authority to take these executive actions is constitutionally reserved for the President, yet the Biden White House used an autopen to execute the vast majority of Biden’s executive actions, particularly during the second half of his Presidency.
    RESTORING PRESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTABILITY: President Trump believes Americans deserve answers as to whether President Biden signed these documents, and if not, who signed them, and under what circumstances.
    President Trump: “And you know what, they ought to find out who was using that autopen. Because whoever that person was, he or she was like the President of the United States … I think a President should sign it, not use an autopen. And we’re going to find out whether or not he knew what the hell he was doing. … So I think it’s something that we should really look at because that’s so important.”
    President Trump: “The real question – who ran the autopen, OK? Who ran the autopen? Because the things that were signed were signed illegally, in my opinion.”
    Since returning to office, President Trump has held numerous open-press signing events where the American public can witness President Trump’s signature and knowledge regarding the matters in question with their own eyes.
    Even the legacy media admits that President Trump is on track to becoming the most-accessible President in modern history.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restricts Foreign Student Visas at Harvard University

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    RESTRICTING FOREIGN STUDENT VISAS AT HARVARD: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to safeguard national security by suspending the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University. 
    The Proclamation suspends the entry into the United States of any new Harvard student as a nonimmigrant under F, M, or J visas.
    It directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing F, M, or J visas for current Harvard students who meet the Proclamation’s criteria.
    The Proclamation does not apply to aliens attending other U.S. universities through the Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) and exempts aliens whose entry is deemed in the national interest.
    HARVARD HAS A DEMONSTRATED HISTORY OF CONCERNING FOREIGN TIES AND RADICALISM:
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has long warned that foreign adversaries take advantage of easy access to American higher education to steal information, exploit research and development, and spread false information.
    The University has seen a drastic rise in crime in recent years, while failing to discipline at least some categories of conduct violations on campus.
    Harvard has failed to provide sufficient information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about foreign students’ known illegal or dangerous activities, reporting deficient data on only three students.
    Harvard is either not fully reporting its disciplinary records for foreign students or is not seriously policing its foreign students.
    Harvard has also developed extensive entanglements with foreign adversaries, receiving more than $150 million from China alone. In exchange, Harvard has, among other things, hosted Chinese Communist Party paramilitary members and partnered with China-based individuals on research that could advance China’s military modernization.
    The Chinese Communist Party has sent thousands of mid-career and senior bureaucrats to study at U.S. institutions, with Harvard University considered the top “party school” outside the country. Xi Jinping’s own daughter attended Harvard as an undergraduate in the early 2010s.

    Harvard has failed to adequately address violent anti-Semitic incidents on campus, with many of these agitators found to be foreign students.
    Harvard has persisted in prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in its admissions, denying hardworking Americans equal opportunities by favoring certain groups, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against its race-based practices.
    These concerns have compelled the Federal government to conclude that Harvard University is no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs.
    HOLDING HARVARD ACCOUNTABLE: President Trump wants our institutions to have foreign students, but believes that the foreign students should be people that can love our country.  
    President Trump: “The students? Well, we want to have great students here. We just don’t want students that are causing trouble. We want to have students. I want to have foreign students.”
    President Trump: “We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools, they can’t get in because we have foreign students there. But I want to make sure that the foreign students are people that can love our country.”
    President Trump: “We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country. Harvard is very slow in the presentation of these documents, and probably for good reason!”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Pettersen’s Bill to Expand Access to Treatment, Combat Opioid Epidemic

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)

    Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen’s bill – the Support for Patients and Communities Act – to reauthorize funding for critical prevention, treatment, and recovery substance use disorder (SUD) programs. 

    Pettersen’s own mother struggled with a decades-long battle with addiction after being overprescribed opioids. Inspired by her mom’s struggle, Rep. Pettersen has fought to expand access to treatment to help people like her mother receive the care they need, including passing a bill that directed Colorado to apply for a Section 1115 Waiverto cover residential and inpatient treatment for individuals struggling with addiction. In the first year alone, this waiver increased access to substance use disorder treatment by 60% and 48,000 Coloradans were able to get the care they needed. Colorado also saw a 35% decline in fentanyl-related deaths in this past year. 

    “At a time when the Trump administration is dismantling the agency that oversees treatment and recovery services and is taking away health care from people struggling with addiction, protecting these programs is more important than ever,” said Pettersen. “In my fight to save my mom’s life, I saw how broken our system is, and I’ve been working every day to fix it. Colorado has led the way by expanding treatment and making resources like Narcan widely available. We have to protect that progress and keep fighting to make sure people like my mom have the tools they need to rebuild their lives and live in recovery.” 

    Republicans struck down Pettersen’s amendment to protect Section 1115 Waivers which are currently on the chopping block in Republicans’ budget proposal. Pettersen’s amendment would have allowed states to use downstream savings to calculate budget neutrality for Section 1115 Waivers, or Medicaid Demonstration Programs. Substance use disorder patients who receive the care they need can save states thousands of dollars in the long-term. 

    “While I’m pleased to see this legislation move forward, I’m deeply disappointed that Republicans rejected my amendments to protect Section 1115 Waivers,” said Pettersen. “The disastrous Republican budget would completely decimate the progress we’ve made in combatting the opioid crisis in Colorado and leave people to die without access to the treatment they need to survive.” 

    Specifically, the Support for Patients and Communities Act will:

    • Expand access to naloxone for first-responders and community members; 
    • Provide substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for pregnant and postpartum women;
    • Address SUD workforce shortages by expanding loan repayment programs and fellowship opportunities for healthcare providers; 
    • Increase access to peer-led recovery support services; 
    • Fund Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers; and 
    • Promote the prevention of overdoses through prescription drug monitoring programs. 

    The legislation is endorsed by over 160 vital substance use disorder treatment and recovery organizations, including Faces and Voices of Recovery, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, and Mental Health Colorado.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Demand Information on How Trump TSA Firings Are Hurting Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) are demanding answers from the Trump Administration following a sweeping decision to terminate hundreds of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, including those in Nevada. In a letter to Secretary Noem, the senators condemned the shortsighted firings, raised concerns about their impact on airport safety and Nevada’s tourism economy, and demanded transparency regarding the large number of terminations and the rationale behind them.
    The mass layoffs come at a time when TSA is already under pressure, with Real ID requirements going into effect just last month and airport travel reaching record levels. In 2024, TSA screened over 900 million passengers nationwide, and Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport alone saw more than 58 million travelers — the highest in its history.
    “We are deeply troubled about the false justifications used for these meritless firings, and how, in the wake of Real ID requirements going into effect, this significant loss of staff is impacting the safety of Nevadans, our nation’s security, and the critical work performed at our airports,” wrote the senators.    
    “Moreover, we vehemently object to the Department of Homeland Security’s misguided decision in March to end the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for tens of thousands of frontline TSA employees,” the senators’ letter continued. “The since-terminated, seven-year CBA was signed at a time when TSA employee’s pay lagged behind other government employees and the agency struggled with retention. 
    In the letter, Rosen and Cortez Masto requested specific information from the Trump Administration, including the number of employees terminated in Nevada, their job roles, the impact of Real ID enforcement on staffing needs, and whether those terminated received legally required notice. She urged immediate transparency and action to address this growing security risk.
    The full letter to the Administration can be found HERE.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been fighting to support Nevada’s airports and travel industry. They secured $61 million in federal funding for airport improvements in Nevada after helping pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In April 2024, they both announced nearly $28 million in grant funding for Harry Reid International Airport to enhance infrastructure, including runway improvements and safety upgrades. In 2024, Senator Rosen announced $7 million in funding she secured for a terminal expansion project at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Press Trump Administration for Answers and Demand Reversal of Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghans Living in the U.S.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, (both D-VA) joined nearly 100 of their congressional colleagues in pressing the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals living in the United States. Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, nearly 200,000 Afghans came to the U.S. From 2018 to 2022, nearly 20,000 of these individuals settled in Virginia—the most of any state after California.
    In the letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers noted the thousands of lives this decision could endanger—particularly the lives of many Afghans who supported the U.S. efforts during the war in Afghanistan and face significant danger upon their return to Afghanistan. The lawmakers also urged the Trump Administration to reverse course and continue TPS for Afghans.
    “We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country,” the lawmakers wrote. “Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions.”
    The lawmakers continued, “The Secretary of Homeland Security ‘may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.’  This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS.”
    “The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls,” the lawmakers stressed.
    The lawmakers closed the letter requesting the following information:
    Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023. 
    The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
    Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
    Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
    What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan?
    In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The letter is signed by 72 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
    A copy of the letter is available here and below.
    Dear Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio:
    We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions.
    The Secretary of Homeland Security “may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.”  This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS.  In September 2023, the U.S. extended and redesignated TPS for Afghanistan. The Administration’s decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan negatively impacts approximately 9,000 Afghan nationals.
    In your announcement, you state that “there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.”  But you also concede that threats of violence and terrorism, as well as humanitarian concerns, remain.  The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS), continues to launch attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and against the Taliban, leading to innocent civilian casualties. If Afghan nationals are forced to return to Afghanistan, they will be caught in the crossfire between the Taliban and ISKP.  According to Human Rights Watch, in 2024, Taliban authorities intensified their crackdown on human rights, especially against women and girls. Women and girls are banned from attending secondary school or university and are unable to move freely. The Taliban also continues to detain and torture journalists, curtailing free speech and media. The 2023 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report covering Afghanistan found that women’s rights rapidly declined and restrictions on freedom of expression increased. The horrific human rights conditions in Afghanistan are unsafe for Afghan nationals to return to and returning would put their personal safety at immediate risk.
    We are also deeply concerned about the State Department Human Rights Report finding that widespread arbitrary and unlawful killings against officials associated with the pre-August 2021 government have occurred.  Afghan nationals who assisted the U.S. military should not be put in harm’s way because they supported the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban. This would be a betrayal of those who bravely served alongside our servicemembers for nearly two decades.
    Afghan civilians still face devastating humanitarian and economic conditions. Over half of the population in Afghanistan needs urgent humanitarian assistance. Human Rights Watch reports that in 2024, 12.4 million people were facing food insecurity and 2.9 million were at emergency levels of hunger.  The World Bank also found that in Afghanistan, as of May 2025, “per capita income has stagnated, while poverty and food insecurity remain pressing challenges, exacerbated by high unemployment and restrictions on women’s economic participation.” 
    The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls.
    In August 2021, Americans welcomed Afghan nationals at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia with open arms, and we refuse to turn our backs on them now.  We strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan and ask that you respond to the following requests no later than two weeks of receipt of this letter:
    Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023. 
    The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
    Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
    Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
    What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan?
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and we hope to receive your responses soon.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Blast Trump Admin’s Plan to Gut California High-Speed Rail Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff Blast Trump Admin’s Plan to Gut California High-Speed Rail Funding

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) released the following joint statement after Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced his plan to terminate billions of dollars of previously-allocated federal funding to the California High-Speed Rail Project: 
    “In Donald Trump’s corrupt world, there’s no need for high-speed rail when you can accept a $400 million jet from a foreign government. But for the millions of Californians left to pick up the tab for Trump’s reckless trade wars and rising costs of living, today’s announcement is devastating. 
    “High-speed rail is the future of transportation — with the potential to bring customers to new businesses, businesses to new employees, and to connect communities hundreds of miles away with affordable and faster transit. The fact is that the California High-Speed Rail Project is already the most audited public works project in the country. Rather than advance the progress being made in the Central Valley, Secretary Duffy has used a review process to appease President Trump and punish Californians who didn’t vote for him. We’ll keep fighting every partisan, self-defeating policy of this Administration as we build infrastructure fit for the 21st century.”
    Last year, Senators Padilla and Schiff and their California Congressional colleagues urged former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to approve the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s grant application for $536 million in federal funds. Padilla previously supported the Department of Transportation’s announcement of $3.1 billion for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, as well as over $200 million for the agency from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program. Padilla and the late Senator Dianne Feinstein previously announced $25 million for the Authority’s Merced Extension Design Project through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Grills Secretary Lutnick on Impacts of Damaging Steel Tariff on Granite State Businesses, Defense Supply Chain

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations and Small Business Committees, today questioned U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick during a Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing examining the U.S. Department of Commerce’s budget request. During the hearing, Shaheen grilled Secretary Lutnick on President Trump’s damaging steel tariffs – which were recently doubled – and drew attention to the impacts on New Hampshire businesses and the nation’s defense supply chain. You can watch the Senator’s full remarks and questions here.

    “Last month I visited a New Hampshire company that makes ball bearings for the aerospace industry. And I agree we should be protecting the aerospace industry in this country. It’s our biggest export in New Hampshire – aerospace parts. They were very concerned about the impact of the steel tariffs on their ability to get ball bearings. They said not only has their costs gone up, but the lead time to get the steel to make the bearings. They only have one domestic supplier. While they had suppliers in the Indo-Pacific and in Canada, those have been eliminated under the tariffs. They said that their lead times have gone from 20 weeks to two and a half years because of the tariffs. I think this creates a real challenge with respect to our national security. A good percentage of the work they do is with the Department of Defense,” Shaheen said of the impacts tariffs are having on a Granite State manufacturer.

    Secretary Lutnick dismissed Senator Shaheen’s concerns about rising costs for small businesses.

    Shaheen also raised concerns over Secretary Lutnick’s plans to eliminate the Manufacturing Extension Partnership whose Centers provide access to expert advisors and technological services that help grow the U.S. manufacturing base, reduce operating costs, develop new technology and jobs and compete on a global scale. Shaheen noted that in Fiscal Year 2023, every dollar of federal investment in the program generated $24.60 in new sales growth and $27.50 in new client investment.

    Senator Shaheen is helping lead efforts in Congress to mitigate the harmful impacts of President Trump’s tariffs. In January, Shaheen introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act which would limit the president’s ability to leverage sweeping tariffs that increase costs for American consumers and families. Her effort to pass this bill by unanimous consent was blocked by Senate Republicans. In recent months, Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to visit businesses including Chatila’s Bakery, C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple, American Calan Inc., NH Ball Bearings and Colby Footwear. to hear directly from Granite Staters impacted by the administration’s tariffs. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Releases Statement After Another Great Meeting with President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today releases a statement after President Trump invited him for another productive meeting along with other members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. The group discussed President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
    “There was very good conversation with President Trump about the One Big Beautiful Bill. The goal is to develop a bill that preserves the American Dream and keeps taxes low. The President and I want to eliminate tax on tips, stop illegal immigration, and develop American resources. I look forward to continuing the process while working to put Louisiana in the best position to benefit,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    In March, Cassidy met with President Trump at the White House to discuss reconciliation priorities. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Statement on Reauthorization of SUPPORT Act Amid Trump Administration Sabotage and House Republican Complicity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) released the following statement after voting in favor of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act:

    “Today, I voted in favor of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes vital prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that tackle our nation’s opioid crisis, substance use disorders, and pressing mental health needs. Since the SUPPORT Act became law in 2018, these programs have undeniably saved lives, and our commitment to this work must continue.

    However, we cannot overlook the alarming context surrounding this vote. The Trump Administration is actively and unlawfully working to dismantle the very agency responsible for executing the programs we have just reauthorized. They have recklessly terminated hundreds of experienced employees, shut down critical offices established by Congress, and withdrawn over $1 billion that was previously allocated to state and local behavioral health initiatives. This has severely undermined essential prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts across the nation. Moreover, the Administration’s proposed budget only exacerbates this crisis, threatening to eliminate nearly all the programs outlined in the SUPPORT Act.

    In a disgraceful display of hypocrisy, House Republicans have chosen to be complicit in this dismantling rather than doing anything to stand against it. Reauthorizing these programs on paper amounts to nothing if we permit the infrastructure that supports them to be obliterated. Just weeks ago, House Republicans passed the largest Medicaid cut in our nation’s history, targeting a program that provides care for 40 percent of Americans grappling with opioid use disorder. These Medicaid reductions will deprive millions of lifesaving treatment, all to fund massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of vulnerable individuals fighting substance use disorders. Voting to reauthorize programs while allowing their infrastructure to be dismantled is simply unacceptable.

    Republicans must finally stand up to the Trump Administration and take decisive action to halt its reckless dismantling of our nation’s support systems. Anything less would render the SUPPORT Act meaningless. Americans facing mental health and addiction crises deserve genuine leadership and steadfast support, not empty rhetoric and political games.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Releases EPW Budget Reconciliation Text

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released legislative text within the EPW Committee’s jurisdiction to be considered as part of Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill.

    “This legislative text puts in motion plans that Senate Republicans pledged to take, like stopping Democrats’ natural gas tax and rescinding unobligated dollars from the so-called Inflation Reduction Act. I look forward to working with my colleagues to move our legislative package forward to enact President Trump’s agenda, which the American people overwhelmingly support,” Chairman Capito said.

    • Click HERE to view text.
    • Click HERE to view a section-by-section.
    • Click HERE to view a one-pager.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Discuss Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, MAHA, and the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Market Day Report on RFD-TV today to highlight the Senate Agriculture Committee advancing his legislation, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which will put whole milk back in schools. He detailed the next steps to get the bill across the finish line and to President Trump’s desk.
    The Senator also discussed the recent Make America Healthy Again Commission report and President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill.’

    [embedded content]

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On the importance of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act:
    Senator Marshall: “This is so important to me, to my family. My dad grew up on a dairy [farm] where every day for 25 years, they milk cows twice a day. And some of your listeners know exactly what that’s like, but milk is the most nutritious drink known to mankind, and for whatever reason, the federal government took whole milk out of our schools over a decade ago.
    “Because of that, we have a generation of young adults now whose bones will never reach their peak mass. We’re going to have an epidemic of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Look, whole milk just tastes better. So we need to focus on the quality of the nutrition as opposed to just the calorie count. And again, milk [is] the most nutritious drink known to mankind.”
    On the next steps for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act:
    Senator Marshall: “I think very easily we could go to the Senate floor and ask unanimous consent, and as long as not one senator stands up objects to it, we’ll get it across the Senate floor. Hopefully, they can do a similar effort over on the House side and get it to the President’s desk. So we’ll do our very best to give the President a win here.”
    On the MAHA Commission report:
    Senator Marshall: “As you look at that MAHA commission report, I didn’t write it, but certainly I agree with the same goals that they have, that we want healthy, nutritious food out there for everybody, a special emphasis on children…
    “My emphasis is soil health. Soil health is where agriculture meets healthy food. Healthy soil means healthy food. And so many of our farmers are out there doing regenerative agriculture. They’ve been doing it for decades. We’ve got to share what we’ve been doing. You know, you showed a little aerial report of a person using drones to grow more with less to grow more. Instead of blanketing that field with the fungicide, they were able to spot-spray it.
    “… Regenerative agriculture, healthy soil, what that means to me is, number one is using no-till farming, coming back and using the least amount of fertilizers, pesticides. That means precision agriculture. It means putting a cover crop on and then grazing cattle over it, maybe bringing in some manure from the local dairy or the local feedlot as well, and then measuring the quality of that soil as well, and showing our customers out there… they’re who is driving this, I’m not driving this, the MAHA moms out there that are driving this, and I know that American agriculture is doing incredible jobs in this area, and they but they need to be reimbursed for it, because it’s expensive to undertake all these efforts.”
    On the hurdles President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ may face:
    Senator Marshall: “Well, there’s always hurdles. We have 53 Republican senators and 53 opinions. But it’s important for your listeners to know why this is so important to them. This will take care of the reference price issues on the title one, funding, and open the doors for us to be able to get the Farm Bill across the finish line. 
    “From the business tax perspective on this, we’re going to take care of permanently, the 199a, which your listeners will be excited about, as well as the R and D deduction, capital appreciation, bonus depreciation as well, and writing off their interest expenses. So all those are important to every one of your listeners and making those permanent will be so, so important to the financial viability of the future farmers of America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Helps Secure Helene Recovery Funding for North Carolina

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis applauded the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) announcement of its Fiscal Year 2025 Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity, which allocates approximately $1.45 billion in federal funding for disaster-impacted communities, including those in Western North Carolina affected by Helene. 

    “This critical EDA funding will help ensure that communities in Western North Carolina still reeling from the impacts of Helene have the resources they need to recover and rebuild stronger than before,” said Senator Tillis. “I remain fully committed to making sure North Carolina receives its fair share of this funding and that Western North Carolina is made whole again.” 

    The announcement follows a bipartisan letter led by Senator Tillis and members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation to the Trump Administration urging the U.S. Economic Development Administration to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity as quickly as possible. 

    Background:

    Senator Tillis has been pushing for federal assistance for Western North Carolina since the moment Helene made landfall.

    On October 1, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm.  

    On October 16, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities could begin to heal. The Senators called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation. 

    On October 23, 2024, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Tillis addressed to members of Congress to step up and be proactive with long-term disaster recovery assistance.   

    On October 29, 2024, Senator Tillis and his colleagues announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program with families and small businesses across WNC unable to get loans approved until then. The Senators outlined their plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returned to session.

    On November 14, 2024, Senator Tillis attempted to pass legislation to replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program through a unanimous consent request on the Senate floor, but was blocked by another Senator. 

    On November 15, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately send a supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support the communities we represent, which were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The OMB sent the request to Congress a few days later.

    On November 18, 2024, Senator Tillis introduced the standalone RELIEF Act to provide Hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.  

    On November 20, 2024, Senator Tillis called on Congress to quickly pass Hurricane Helene relief during his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  

    On November 21, 2024, Senator Tillis met with Governor Cooper, Governor-Elect Stein, members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and the North Carolina General Assembly, and local leaders from Western North Carolina to discuss efforts to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. 

    On December 5, 2024, Senator Tillis joined Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto where he discussed the urgent need for Congress to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.  

    On December 10, 2024, Senator Tillis hosted N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, N.C. House of Representatives Speaker-elect Destin Hall, State Senators Bill Rabon and Ralph Hise, and State Representative Dudley Greene to discuss efforts to provide immediate assistance to North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene’s devastation.   

    On December 18, 2024, Senator Tillis committed to filibustering any continuing resolution that did not include disaster aid for Western North Carolina. 

    On December 21, 2024, Senator Tillis voted to pass a bipartisan government funding bill that included more than $100 billion in disaster relief for states and communities hit by natural disasters, including North Carolina during Hurricane Helene.

    On January 7, 2025 Senator Tillis announced $1.65 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.  

    On January 24, 2025, Senator Tillis released a statement thanking President Trump for his visit to Western North Carolina to survey the devastation left behind by Helene. 

    On January 31, 2025, Senator Tillis introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, legislation that excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program. 

    On March 11, 2025 Senator Tillis reintroduced the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to simplify the application process for federal disaster recovery assistance. 

    On April 1, 2025 Senator Tillis sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.

    On April 3, 2025 Senator Tillis (R-NC) introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts. 

    On April 24, 2025 Senator Tillis introduced the Helene Recovery Small Business Act and the Loans in Our Neighborhoods (LIONs) Act of 2025, legislation that would provide much-needed relief to small businesses as they work to recover from the devastation of Helene.

    In addition to Senator Tillis’ legislative efforts the Senator has met with local leaders, residents, and elected officials across Western North Carolina including in: Asheville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Canton, Clyde, Fairview, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Hot Springs, Marshall, Morganton, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa, Waynesville and Wilkesboro.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Whitehouse, Durbin, Blumenthal, Coons Question DOJ Decision to Shutter Specialized Unit for Cracking Down on Transnational Crime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces program has helped arrest fentanyl traffickers, seize hundreds of tons of narcotics, and confiscate billions in dirty money

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi questioning the Department of Justice’s plan to end the successful Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. 

    “As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF ‘is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.’ OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States,” wrote the senators.

    The OCDETF program is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. In just the past two months, OCDETF program resources have been used to secure prison sentences for two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina and to take down three prolific Chinese money launderers who pleaded guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Many OCDETF investigations target the cartels’ financial networks, an often-overlooked component of the U.S. strategy to combat drug-trafficking organizations. In Fiscal Year 2023, OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling more than $423 million. 

    Reporting from Bloomberg in May revealed that the Trump Administration plans to eliminate the OCDETF program, including its support for specialized investigators and prosecutors, in a move that would kneecap America’s ability to dismantle cartels trafficking illicit fentanyl. 

    “We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations.  We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States,” added the senators.

    The senators requested answers to the following questions by June 13, 2025:

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    1. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how.
    1. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
    1. Why is the Department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
    1. How will the Department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
    1. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations.  How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
    1. How will the Department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
    1. Does the Department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    The text of the letter is below and a PDF is available here.

    Dear Attorney General Bondi:

    We write to request information on the Department of Justice’s plans to terminate its Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program.  On May 5, 2025, Bloomberg reported that DOJ has begun the process of “closing down” OCDETF and “zeroing” out its budget in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

    As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF “is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.”  OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States.  By leveraging resources from its participating and partner agencies, OCDETF can pursue investigations into the highest-level criminal actors behind these drug crime networks.

    OCDETF’s intelligence products and insights enhance the capacity of federal, state, and local law enforcement.  In FY 2023, OCDETF Fusion Center analysts disseminated 4,141 intelligence products to 36,693 law enforcement personnel across the country.  These resources buoy state and local agencies that may otherwise lack the expertise or funds to launch longer, more complex investigations. 

    According to DEA, “since OCDETF’s inception tens of thousands of arrests have been made and hundreds of tons of narcotics and billions in currency, real property, and conveyances have all been seized.”  And as the Department of Justice noted upon the 40th anniversary of President Reagan’s establishment of OCDETF, “[s]ome of the department’s most notable successes against drug cartels have resulted from OCDETF coordinated investigations and prosecutions.”  These successes include “taking down the powerful Colombian cartels of the 1980s, the notorious and violent Mexican cartels . . . in the 1990s; and the methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and opioid threats from all over the world in the last two decades.”

    OCDETF investigations continue to deliver.  This month, DOJ announced that “three members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organizations plead[ed] guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds.”  In April, DEA reported that two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina “were each sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.”  OCDETF resources were used for both cases.     

    Many OCDETF-supported investigations that result in financial forfeitures or seizures channel money into government funds, which can be used to pay for the expenses associated with forfeiture operations, as well as certain investigative costs.  In FY 2023, closed OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling $423.1 million.  These benefits are in addition to money judgments resulting from ODCETF investigations, which ranged between $125 million to over $750 million from FY 2019 to FY 2023. 

    We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations.  We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States.  Thus, we request that you provide answers to the following questions.

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    1. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how.
    1. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
    1. Why is the Department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
    1. How will the Department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
    1. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations.  How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
    1. How will the Department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
    1. Does the Department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    Please provide your response to our questions no later than June 13, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representative Smith statement on SUPPORT Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Rep. Smith (D – Wash.) released the following statement regarding the SUPPORT Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today.
     
    “Today I voted for the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, which would renew funding for drug prevention and treatment programs, as well as key mental health initiatives, and behavioral health care programs.

    “Improving our response to mental and behavioral health is a key priority of mine. This bill has historically provided a bipartisan investment in addressing these issues. I am glad to support the authorization of important disorder treatment programs and opioid response grants.

    “Unfortunately, this historically bipartisan bill is being knee-capped by an Executive Branch that has unlawfully gutted the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which would be responsible for running these vital programs. The Administration is also preparing to eliminate 40 different mental health and substance use programs, including eight programs reauthorized by the SUPPORT Act.

    “It is incredibly hypocritical of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote for this bill while maintaining ardent support for the cutting of SAMHSA and other programs by the “Big Ugly Bill” and the Trump Administration.

    “Congress must take the problems of mental and behavioral health care seriously. I urge all who also vote “yea” on this bill to also take a long, hard look at the proposed cuts to SAMHSA and HHS from the Trump Administration. This bill could do important things to address substance use disorders, the opioid crisis, and our mental and behavioral health care crisis, if only the Trump Administration would faithfully implement it.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Meets With Three Federal Judges To Discuss Judicial Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after discussing judicial security with Judge Beth Bloom of the Southern District of Florida, Judge Mark Norris of the Western District of Tennessee, and Judge Esther Salas of the District of New Jersey, whose son was murdered at the family’s home by a former litigant who posed as a deliveryman:

    “President Trump is openly threatening judges with over-the-top rhetoric and even calling for their impeachment for ruling against him. Just as bad: Republicans seem to be keeping quiet about—or even enabling—his threats. If President Obama or President Biden had said these things, Republicans would’ve thrown a fit.

    “Americans are welcome to disagree with judicial decisions on the merits, but we must all agree that we cannot undermine our Constitution by allowing threats to the officers of our judicial branch in an attempt to weaken it.

    “Judges Salas, Bloom, and Norris are helping to shed light on the threats faced by our judges in a heightened political environment, and I thank them for having the courage to speak about their experiences and carry on the legacy of Judge Salas’s son Daniel.”

    New reporting found that USMS has seen a spike in threats against federal judges, including 197 federal judges threatened between March 1 and May 27 of this year. One report identified more than 600 posts on social media and right-leaning message boards since February targeting family members of judges who ruled against the Trump Administration—with the posts viewed more than 200 million times. Another report described federal judges and their family members receiving anonymous deliveries to their homes intended to show that those seeking to intimidate the targeted judge know the judge’s address or their family members’ addresses. Some of these deliveries were made using the name of Judge Salas’s son.

    The spike in threats coincides with escalating, threatening language by President Trump and his allies, including calls for impeaching judges who don’t rule in the President’s favor.

    Durbin has urged Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Patel to investigate the ongoing and increasing threats against federal judges. Durbin asked for a response by May 20, but has yet to receive one.

    In 2023, the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation provided additional intelligence analysts and deputy Marshals to the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and allowed judges to remove sensitive personal information from government websites and private publications.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Slams Republicans’ Hypocrisy in Protecting Addiction & Mental Health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery (ATR) Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman Paul D. Tonko, spoke on the House floor today to call out Republicans for failing to respond to Trump administration attacks on addiction and mental health resources.

    Tonko’s speech came ahead of the vote on the bipartisan Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. Tonko decried the hypocrisy of Republicans in bringing up this bill to pay lip service to the mental health and addiction crises while at the same time enabling the Trump administration to make devastating cuts to the very programs, services, and staff the SUPPORT Act needs to function, including decimating the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

    Earlier this year, Tonko held a virtual press conference with ten former SAMHSA employees who were fired as a result of cuts from this administration. Participants spoke about the detrimental impact that these cuts will have on addressing mental health, and ensuring access to substance use disorder treatment, services, prevention and recovery.
    Tonko’s full remarks can be viewed HERE or read below as prepared for delivery.

     

    SAMHSA’s stated mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring access and better outcomes for all.

     

    It is not an exaggeration to say that the public servants at SAMHSA work every day to prevent overdoses and suicides and save lives.

     

    As a longtime champion for behavioral health parity and access to treatment and as Co-Chair of the Congressional Addiction Treatment and Recovery Caucus, bipartisan in nature, there have been a few questions on my mind.

     

    For instance, how many public servants need to be fired at SAMHSA before we say enough?

     

    How many suicide prevention trainings need to be cancelled before Republicans can speak out?

     

    How many lifesaving naloxone trainings need to be cancelled for Republicans to say something… say anything?

     

    How many lives need to be lost before Republicans tell the Trump Administration to stop the decimation of SAMHSA?

     

    I have other questions too, simple ones like how many people work at SAMHSA currently? What divisions have no staff left at all? What programs have they had to cut in local communities?

     

    In February, following the firing of probationary employees, I started asking these questions and since the firing of nearly 50 percent of SAMHSA’s staff I have continued asking those questions.

     

    To date I have gotten zero answers. Zero.

     

    Currently, we have lost 50 percent of SAMHSA staff and it’s not HHS or the Trump administration who shared that with Congress.

     

    We only have confirmation that SAMHSA lost half its staff from the press and from the former SAMHSA employees.

     

    That is unacceptable.

     

    As a Congress if we say we care about behavioral health, then we should be ashamed that we are okay not knowing this. For four months we have been asking questions and instead of answers we have even more concerning questions.

     

    I shared with our Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman that as the committee that has jurisdiction over SAMHSA, how do we not have these answers?

     

    This affects every community in the country and our first action should be finding out these answers. If the administration refuses to come in, then let’s bring in the fired employees.

     

    These people are some of the most dedicated public servants who did this work for all the right reasons and they served an incredible need. On behalf of all Americans, I thank all of the fired SAMHSA employees for their service to our nation. You deserved better. And frankly all Americans deserve better.

     

    Our loved ones should have access to effective addiction treatment, prevention and recovery support and behavioral health support and services. 

     

    The recent actions of this Trump Administration are betraying the goal of access to behavioral health treatment and support.

     

    RFK and Donald Trump have proposed to eliminate SAMHSA as an independent agency, burying it in the so-called “Administration for a Healthy America or AHA”

     

    Let’s remember that the whole reason Congress moved SAMHSA into an independent agency was to ensure that behavioral health was prioritized despite the longstanding stigma.


    Instead, AHA would take us back to the time that behavioral health is tucked away in another agency and deprioritized.

     

    When the agency is gutted, the programs and the mission suffers, and ultimately, the individuals we are trying to help with their mental health and substance use struggles will simply not get the support they need.

     

    People will die.

     

    I beg my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, let’s reverse course. We have an obligation to protect SAMHSA’s mission and all of our constituents who SAMHSA serves.

     

    Like many of my colleagues, I support the programs in this package; but it’s completely disingenuous and frankly outrageous that Republicans are here today trying to pat themselves on the back as doing something meaningful for those struggling with addiction while the entire agency we are authorizing programs for is being dismantled – the people doing the work we are authorizing have all been fired – and the Administration is proposing even more draconian cuts for mental health and substance use programs in the 2026 budget.

     

    Give me a break. 

     

    It’s like we’re trying to heal a bullet wound with a band aid.


    So I’m regrettably going to have to vote no and would respectfully ask my Republican colleagues to pause today’s vote and instead focus our intention on responding to the actual crisis at SAMHSA.

     

    Let’s stop this performance and instead let’s do the right thing and walk out right now and meet, make calls and work together to stop this madness. Let’s actually do something to meet this moment before it’s too late and we no longer have an agency focused on behavioral health.

     

    This is a truly a performative vote if Republicans are too scared to say anything when the agency is being decimated and the mission is on the line but they want to go home and say they voted for SUPPORT.


    But they won’t mention that it will never be implemented because the funding and staff are gone. 

     

    Let’s return to my initial question: how many lives need to be lost before Republicans tell the Trump Administration to stop the decimation of SAMHSA?

     

    If Republicans go forward with this vote today while staying silent as this administration takes the chainsaw to SAMHSA then it’s clear that they are willing to let SAMHSA lose all capacity to serve its mission to save lives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Hoyer Opening Remarks at FSGG Hearing on the Office of Management and Budget

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the FSGG hearing with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:

    Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.

    “Mr. Chairman. Mr. Director. Candidly, Director Vought, I think your agenda is a danger to our country, our Constitution, our people, and one that marginalizes the Congress and Article I to establish an imperial presidency. That’s exactly the opposite of what our founders had in mind.

    “What this administration has done under your direction mirrors what you did during Trump’s first term, what you wrote in your Project 2025 chapter, and what you said in a ‘23 speech – 2023 – to members of the MAGA right. You had it quoted to you many times – as you probably know, I represent over 70,000 federal employees – a highly offensive statement: ‘We want the bureaucrats,’ which is so often used as an epithet, not a descriptor, ‘to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as villains. We want their funding to be shut down.’ Were the thousands of doctors, scientists, and cancer researchers DOGE fired from NIH villains? The more than 800 employees DOGE dismissed from NOAA, people who take, track hurricanes and protect Americans from storms, were they deep state agendas? What about the food inspectors, intelligence officers, National Park rangers, first responders, and countless others purged by this administration? They’re just patriotic Americans trying to serve their country. [They] all received an email seeking their decision to leave the federal service, two point – plus million of them. What sort of message does that send?

    “I think of a Marylander named Caitlin, who worked at the Center for Medical and Medicaid Innovation. After spending weeks agonizing over whether DOGE would fire her, she died of suicide back in February. I think of another Marylander, Monique, who worked for the Social Security Administration. She was forced to pick up more work as many of her colleagues took the buyout or fired by DOGE. The stress grew and grew until sitting at her desk in February, she died of a heart attack. Her friends and family are certain it was triggered by the stress she was under at work. No business on Earth could treat employees like this and expect efficiency to improve or their enterprise to succeed.

    “There is no doubt efficiency has gone down. Backlogs have grown at the Social Security Administration, the VA, and other agencies. Federal employees now have to spend hours filling out paperwork just to order basic office supplies, something that used to take minutes. One of the first things OMB did after Trump took office was pause all federal loans and grants. That froze thousands of infrastructure projects that were already under construction across the country, an action taken with no regard – or no awareness, perhaps, of the consequences of those actions.

    “The Trump Administration has traumatized Americans – not just federal employees – reduced efficiency, broken the law, and trampled on Congress’s authority, and for what? We have every indication that DOGE will cost taxpayers more than it’s going to save. Director Vought, you’re going to play an even larger role in these efforts now that Elon Musk is reportedly leaving. This committee isn’t going to ask you to summarize your work in five bullet points, or write essays to pass a loyalty test. We expect you to address the concerns of the American people. They have questions. I have questions. We owe them answers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SASC Chairman Roger Wicker Releases Defense Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today unveiled legislative text of the reconciliation bill’s defense portion. The House and Senate Armed Services Committees developed this legislation in close coordination with the White House and Department of Defense to modernize America’s military, secure the border, and strengthen national security.
    Chairman Wicker released the following statement after the release of the bill text:
    “This bill is a landmark down payment toward the modernization of our military and our defense capabilities. It represents a generational upgrade for our national security with historic funding for Golden Dome, American manufacturing, innovative unmanned technology, and new shipbuilding efforts,” Chairman Wicker said. “It would not have been possible without the peace-through-strength leadership of President Trump, Chairman Rogers, and Secretary Hegseth. This is about building the future of American defense, and ultimately deterring war. In combination with significant legislative reforms through the NDAA process, this bill will fundamentally change the Pentagon and help us maintain peace and prosperity for Americans.” 
    House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL.) released the following statement alongside Chairman Wicker:
    “The House and Senate Armed Services Committees are committed to implementing President Trump’s Peace through Strength agenda with a generational investment in our national defense. Chairman Wicker and I have worked closely together to identify how we can best modernize our military, regrow our defense industrial base, and build a ready, capable, and lethal fighting force. Now that the Senate will soon take up the One Big, Beautiful Bill, I’m eager to continue our forward momentum and get this to the President’s desk as soon as possible.”
    The full text is available here. 
    A legislative overview is available here.
    Legislation Highlights:
    $9B to improve servicemember quality of life, including housing modernization, childcare and education improvements, and health care.
    $29B for shipbuilding to expand the maritime industrial base, build 13 Battle Force ships, and rapidly grow an unmanned fleet.
    $25B for Golden Dome to maintain space superiority, develop space-based missile intercept, and accelerate existing missile defense efforts.
    $23B to re-stock crucial munitions, rebuid U.S. supply chains for critical minerals, and expand advanced manufacturing capacity.
    $16B to scale production of innovative low-cost and next-gen weapons like drones, counter-drone tech, cheap munitions, and artificial intelligence.
    $400M to accelerate the DOD audit through artificial intelligence and improve cybersecurity.
    $9B to expand the fighter fleet and accelerate next-gen air superiority programs.
    $15B to accelerate nuclear modernization programs and fix infrastructure.
    $12B to equip INDOPACOM commander with necesary capabilities and rebuild our Pacific infrastructure.
    $16B to improve readiness, including through modernization of depots, additional spare parts for aircraft, and expanded naval maintenance.
    $3.3B to expand military border support mission through Trump term.
    Background:
    In December 2024, Chairman Wicker introduced the FORGED Act, a comprehensive legislative proposal to reform Pentagon efficiency. The bill is designed to fundamentally change the way the Pentagon does business by getting better weapons to our troops faster and maximizing taxpayer dollars.
    Since taking the gavel as Chairman, Senator Wicker has laid out a significant defense investment plan aimed at rebuilding our military for generations to come. The plan encompasses several critical areas including rebuilding the arsenal of democracy, proliferating integrated air and missile defense, modernizing infrastructure, and more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Agrees with Senator Warren: Scrap the Debt Limit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 04, 2025
    “If Republicans in Congress were serious about preventing that economic disaster, they would scrap the debt limit entirely like President Trump has called for – not increase it by $4 trillion dollars to finance tax cuts for billionaires and billionaire corporations.”
    Washington, D.C. – In response to President Donald Trump’s post, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, released the following statement:
    “The independent non-partisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed today that Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill will rip away health care from millions of people and increase the debt by $2.4 trillion to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. That’s a disgusting abomination, as Elon Musk made clear.
    “I’ve argued for years that a default on the national debt would be an economic catastrophe that must be avoided by getting rid of the debt limit permanently. If Republicans in Congress were serious about preventing that economic disaster, they would scrap the debt limit entirely like President Trump has called for – not increase it by $4 trillion dollars to finance tax cuts for billionaires and billionaire corporations.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Lutnick for Decimation of NOAA, Illegal Cancellation of Digital Equity Act Funding, More

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Q&A with Sec. Lutnick***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department. Senator Murray slammed what’s happening at the Department and President Trump’s thoughtless tariffs, and grilled Secretary Lutnick on the Department’s decision to completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund in the budget request, the Department’s failure to submit required budget justifications to the Committee, and the Trump administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars of funding from Senator Murray’s Digital Equity Act which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “You know, over the law few months, I am deeply concerned because we have seen: mass firings at NOAA that are really, seriously jeopardizing the weather forecasting that we all count on; funds have been frozen; grants and contracts have been abruptly cancelled; and agencies that were created by Congress in a bipartisan way have been shuttered unilaterally—really ignoring the law—and sweeping, thoughtless tariffs that are crunching small businesses and raising costs for families.

    “And we have even seen President Trump illegally block some emergency funding House Republicans included in their yearlong CR which has cut off funding your Department counts on for trade fairness, export controls, NOAA satellites, and more.

    “So, needless to say: I don’t think any of this helps advance the Department’s mission to spur economic growth and strengthen America’s competitiveness, and it does leaves me very seriously concerned about whether the Department is going to be able to carry out its job.

    “Now, before I turn to my questions, I do want to quickly raise your decision to cancel $48 million in Tech Hub funding for the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center in Eastern Washington and Idaho—alongside several other hubs. We had a chance to talk about this yesterday, but I want you to know I have a lot more questions than I think you answered.

    “This hub is really a partnership of industry, academia, the military, and governments at all levels. Cancelling that funding and further delaying progress at the tech hub really damages our defense industrial base and limits our ability to compete with China, as I told you yesterday. So, that is unacceptable, and I look forward to you resolving that as soon as possible.”

    [TRUMP REQUESTS TO ELIMINATE SALMON RECOVERY PROGRAM]

    Senator Murray began by explaining how important NOAA is to our nation’s fisheries and how important salmon are to Washington state’s way of life, calling out President Trump’s request to zero out funding for a key salmon program: “Now, I do want to ask you while you’re here, one of the agencies you oversee is NOAA. It is absolutely essential to supporting sustainable fisheries, protecting our natural resources, and making sure that we have accurate weather forecasts. Cutting away at NOAA—as you have been doing and as your budget proposes to do further—is going to do serious harm. Among other cuts, your budget would completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That would be a catastrophic failure—it would abandon our communities, our Tribes, and our industries who rely on salmon. And across the Pacific Northwest, salmon are not just fish—they are a way of life, and they are foundational to our economy and our culture. So, I would like you to explain quickly why you proposed that cut, and I want to ask you, did you consult with our Tribes or fishing communities who count on it before making that decision?”

    Secretary Lutnick replied, “The issues are that we do the same thing in multiple ways in NOAA. We have not cut any hydrologists, which are the people who study the water.”

    “You eliminated the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That is what I’m precisely asking you about. Did you talk to our tribes or fishermen before you did that?” Senator Murray pressed.

    “Of course,” responded Secretary Lutnick.

    Senator Murray said, “Well, I have spoken to the tribes, I’ve talked to the scientists, I’ve talked to the fishermen. No one—no one—in the Pacific Northwest supports those cuts. And I want everyone to know I will not vote for an appropriations bill that eliminates that funding.”

    [LACK OF TRANSPARENCY]

    Senator Murray then asked about the Department failure to present full budget justifications to Congress, “Now, staying on NOAA facilities like the Northwest Fishery Science Center, which is in Seattle, are really in dire need of investment. For this reason, this CJS Appropriations Subcommittee has long included language requiring the Secretary of Commerce to include the cost estimates for NOAA construction projects of more than $5 million, in the congressional budget justification materials, as well as the 5-year cost estimates for those projects. Are you aware of that requirement?”

    “My understanding is we filed our budget according to the CR with exact precision,” Secretary Lutnick replied.

    “Well, have you submitted the Department’s FY26 congressional budget justification? It did not include the list of projects, which it’s required to do,” asked Senator Murray.

    Secretary Lutnick continued to dodge, “My understanding is the CR had certain obligations for us, and we followed them with precision. That’s my understanding.”

    Senator Murray pushed back, “Well, the fact is that you are required by law to submit the NOAA PAC [Procurement, Acquisition and Construction] construction list to Congress with the budget. That wasn’t done. Can we get that list by Friday?”

    “I’ll happily take a look at it. And if it’s required, of course, I will send it,” said Secretary Lutnick.

    Senator Murray responded, “Okay. It is required.”

    [ATTACKS ON DIGITAL EQUITY ACT]

    Senator Murray turned her questions about President Trump’s recent announcement he is illegally planning to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, “Mr. Secretary, I wrote a law, it was called the Digital Equity Act, to help close the digital divide—and it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now, the Administration has arbitrarily cancelled billions of dollars for the Digital Equity Act, claiming it’s unconstitutional. This is a program that every state, Democrat and Republican, has applied for—every single state in the country. It distributes laptops in Iowa. It helped people get back online after Hurricane Helene washed away computers and phones in western North Carolina. It’s a program in rural Alabama where they taught seniors—including some who have never used a computer—how to use the internet. I want to ask you, has the Supreme Court declared this bipartisan law unconstitutional? Has any judge?”

    Secretary Lutnick sidestepped the question, “It will go through the courts and the courts will decide.”

    “No one has declared this unconstitutional—no one. Your job, Mr. Secretary, is to carry out the law that Congress has passed. You don’t get to keep laptops from our kids, because the President doesn’t care about kids in rural communities. My advice to you here—it is a law, it is not unconstitutional, and I would urge you to get those digital equity dollars out the door and save everyone the legal fees, because the law is very clear,” emphasized Senator Murray.

    [TRUMP’S THOUGHTLESS TRADE WAR]

    Senator Murray concluded by saying, “I just have a few seconds left, and I before I finish, I do want to underscore my state, Washington state, is one of the most trade dependent states in the nation. 40% of our jobs are connected to international trade and President Trump and your Department continue to pursue this chaotic tariff policy that businesses in my state stand to lose billions of dollars. I have heard from businesses across my state, from manufacturers, from small retailers. They are struggling to absorb the cost increases on everything from napkins to car parts. And this uncertainty has really left them scrambling which has delayed investments and caused serious supply chain disruptions, especially at our ports. These actions, in addition, have really harmed our relationships with our key allies like Canada. I heard Senator Collins here earlier talking about Maine being their neighbor—it is our neighbor in Washington state. They are one of our biggest trading partners. And let me be clear, this is causing chaos, disruption, anger. And we have got to get this resolved because farmers, our people and our small businesses and our communities, are really hurting.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trump’s Tax Cut Bill Will Increase Deficit by $2.4 Trillion – Congressional Budget Office

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NEW YORK, June 4 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency, on Wednesday released an analysis projecting that President Donald Trump’s tax cut bill will reduce tax revenues by $3.7 trillion, increasing the federal budget deficit by $2.4 trillion over the next decade.

    The report, published on the agency’s website on June 4 but dated May 20, also projects that if the bill is passed, the number of people without health insurance would increase by 10.9 million, including 1.4 million people who are in the country without legal status and who use government-funded programs.

    The document, which D. Trump and Republican lawmakers call a “big, beautiful” bill, was passed by the House of Representatives (lower chamber) of the US Congress with a narrow majority of votes and is currently awaiting consideration by the Senate (upper chamber). –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Joins Warren, MA Delegation in Sounding Alarm on Trump Admin Attacks on International Students at Harvard and Nationwide

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Letter follows recent DHS attempts to terminate Harvard’s ability to enroll international students on F-1 and J-1 visas

    Massachusetts hosts over 80,000 international students, who contribute almost $4 billion to state economy and support over 35,000 jobs in the state

    “The Administration’s apparent hostility to international students contributes to an overall climate of fear on campuses. This trend creates a chilling effect that discourages the best and brightest students from around the world from coming to study in the United States…” 

    Text of Letter

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and the Massachusetts’ Congressional delegation in pressing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons on the Trump Administration’s attacks on international students, particularly last week’s attempt to terminate Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students on F-1 and J-1 visas. 

    The letter was also signed by U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), along with Representatives Richard Neal (MA-01), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Bill Keating (MA-09), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Jake Auchincloss (MA-04). 

    “As members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, we are gravely concerned about the Trump Administration’s attacks on international students,” wrote the lawmakers. “This trend has been particularly damaging for Massachusetts, which is home to one of largest concentrations of higher education institutions and hosts over 80,000 international students, who contribute almost $4 billion to the state’s economy and support over 35,000 jobs in the state.”

    Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the system that allows the university to admit international students — not only blocking Harvard’s ability to enroll new international students, but also interfering with current international students’ ability to legally remain. In effect, this action would allow DHS to arrest, detain, and deport international students who remain at Harvard. Shortly thereafter, a federal judge temporarily enjoined DHS from enforcing the revocation.

    “This attack on Harvard and its international students appears to be an attempt to punish the university for not agreeing to the Trump Administration’s April 2025 demands,” wrote the lawmakers.

    This is the latest in the Trump Administration’s long pattern of attacks on international students nationwide. Starting in March, the Administration effectively terminated the legal status of over 4,700 international students across at least 48 states and 160 colleges. Often without notice to students or their universities, ICE terminated students’ records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) — records that are “functionally equivalent to having lawful student status” — which exposed students to the “risk of arrest, detention, or removal.” The State Department also revoked many visas, adding to widespread confusion about students’ legal status.

    “While DHS and the State Department claimed to target those with a criminal history or history of engaging in campus protests,  some of the impacted students had neither, and in many cases, there was ‘no obvious cause for the revocations,’” wrote the lawmakers.

    International students in Massachusetts and nationwide continue to face serious threats, even beyond Harvard’s campus, including: ICE expanding its authority for terminating SEVIS records; not restoring — or re-terminating — students’ legal status; and leaving problematic gaps in records of students’ legal status. Some students who left the country after their visas or records were suspended face significant hurdles to returning. This week, the State Department reportedly ordered its overseas embassies and consulates to stop scheduling any international student visa interviews, causing serious delays.

    “The Administration’s apparent hostility to international students contributes to an overall climate of fear on campuses. This trend creates a chilling effect that discourages the best and brightest students from around the world from coming to study in the United States — which harms not only current and prospective international students, but also American universities, U.S. citizen students on campuses, and, in the long term, the nation’s prosperity and economic growth,” concluded the lawmakers.

    Text of the letter can be found here.

    Rep. Pressley has been a vocal advocate for students attacked by Trump and his unlawful, anti-immigrant, and anti-free speech agenda – including her constituent, Tufts PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was unlawfully abducted and detained by ICE in March. She has also repeatedly spoken out against Trump’s attacks on Harvard.

    • On May 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley, Senator Markey, and the Massachusetts community welcomed Rümeysa Öztürk back to Massachusetts following her release from ICE detention in Louisiana.
    • On May 8, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking more information on the detention conditions of immigrants held at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center (CLIPC) and the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center (SLIPC) after an oversight trip to the facilities.
    • On May 7, 2025, Pressley, Sen. Markey, and Rep. McGovern applauded the Second Circuit for ordering Rümeysa’s transfer from ICE custody in Louisiana to Vermont and rejecting the Trump administration’s attempt to delay complying with a lower court order to do so.
    • On April 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Trump Administration’s abrupt reinstatement of international student visas. 
    • On April 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley, Sen. Markey, and Rep. McGovern published a New York Times op-ed on their meeting with Rümeysa Öztürk in detention and warned the American people of the dangers posed by the Trump administration’s unlawful attacks on our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and due process.
    • On April 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues visited Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil and conducted oversight at the ICE facilities in Louisiana in which they were detained.
    • On April 18, 2025, Rep. Pressley and Sens. Warren and Markey demanded Secretary of State Rubio released any documents related to her arrest after a recent report indicated that an internal State Department memo concluded that the key premise underlying Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk’s arrest and detention was false. 
    • On April 3, 2025, Rep. Pressley, along with Sens. Warren and Markey, sounded the alarm on Öztürk’s medical neglect in DHS custody and renewed urgent calls for her release.
    • On March 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley, along with Sens. Warren and Markey, led over 30 lawmakers in writing to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, demanding information about Öztürk’s arrest and detention as well as similar incidents across the country.
    • On March 26, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning reports that ICE arrested and detained Rümeysa Öztürk.
    • On March 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement following reports of ICE activity in Boston and other municipalities in Massachusetts

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI | Fox News — SEN BILL HAGERTY: Nashville is not a sanctuary city. I won’t let that happen

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    ‘Illegal aliens are facing justice. They are being sent home. And violent criminals, who are here illegally, will no longer plague our communities…The American people, the people of Tennessee and the brave men and women of ICE deserve much better. I look forward to seeing this commitment upheld.’

    SEN BILL HAGERTY: Nashville is not a sanctuary city. I won’t let that happen
    By: Senator Bill Hagerty
    June 4, 2025
    Link here.

    Nashville mayor condemns arrests of illegal immigrants. Now, ICE agents are targets of doxxing.

    Nashville is not, nor is any other city in Tennessee, a sanctuary city. I intend to make certain that remains the case.  

    In May in Nashville, ICE conducted a successful operation with Tennessee Highway Patrol to arrest 196 criminal illegal aliens, including a convicted rapist and a suspected murderer. 

    While I have received every assurance that Nashville and every other city in Tennessee will work in a cooperative manner with law enforcement, make no mistake: I will make certain those commitments are not just lip service. 

    After the operation, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell condemned ICE’s good work, promoted a fund to provide support dollars for illegal immigrants and their families in Nashville, and even updated an executive order to fast-track the collection of all Nashville government employees’ interactions with ICE. 

    The mayor’s executive order has – unsurprisingly – led to the doxxing of ICE agents, who have faced a 413% increase in assaults against them while on the job. In Nashville, we know that activists are monitoring ICE activity in the city and alerting each other of ICE’s movements using encrypted group chats. 

    Did these groups see the doxxed ICE agents’ personal information? How will they use it? How does the mayor ensure these lists of ICE agents do not end up in the wrong hands? These are all questions we shouldn’t have to ask, but now we do. 

    The cloud of confusion that has arisen from this misstep is unfortunate, and the facts need to be made clear: the state of Tennessee is a state that stands for law enforcement and the protection of its citizens. 

    The leftwing media is adding fuel to the fire. For example, New York Times opinion writer Margaret Renkl explicitly compares ICE raids in Nashville to the Jim Crow South and the Trail of Tears. Her article – littered with cherry-picked stories from immigrant activists – uses such ridiculous words as “hunt” to suggest that what is happening in my state is not legal. Let me be clear: the only illegality is from those who chose to cross the border illegally. 

    We know where this all leads: In 2019, an Antifa activist attempted to firebomb an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington. Thankfully, he was stopped before he could succeed. But his intentions and motivation were clear. In his manifesto, he slandered ICE as “the forces of evil,” and compared their detention facilities to “concentration camp[s].” 

    Even when such rhetoric from the media and mismanagement on the part of local officials does not inspire acts of domestic terrorism, it still leads to harassment and threats against ICE and other federal law enforcement officers. 

    In the first Trump presidency, the left shamelessly engaged in doxxing of ICE agents, sharing their personal information in an effort to intimidate them out of their jobs, or even cause direct harm to them. Such private information was even shared by college professors, published by WikiLeaks, and disseminated by the far-left domestic terrorist organization Antifa.

    Now that President Donald Trump is back in office, activists have resumed this dangerous tactic. Even state lawmakers have joined in on efforts to expose ICE officers’ identities, with Tennessee Democrat state Representative Aftyn Behn filming herself gleefully stalking ICE agents. 

    Trump’s historic re-election made it clear: the American people support his immigration agenda, including the removal and deportation of criminal illegal aliens from our communities. Yet some, like Nashville Mayor O’Connell, whether intentional or not, are inhibiting the president’s mission. This will not stand. 

    The Trump administration and the men and women of ICE have a Herculean task before them in cleaning up what former President Joe Biden facilitated: the largest invasion of our Southern border in history. 

    For four years, we watched Biden sacrifice our national sovereignty to allow millions to illegally flood our country. Unsurprisingly, this illegal tsunami included murderers, rapists, human traffickers, drug smugglers, people on terrorist watch lists, and more. Today, ICE is working overtime to remove these criminals and make our communities safer. 

    Here’s the reality: Illegal aliens are facing justice. They are being sent home. And violent criminals, who are here illegally, will no longer plague our communities. 

    O’Connell should take care to empower ICE and local law enforcement to remove illegal aliens from our communities, not endanger them. The American people, the people of Tennessee and the brave men and women of ICE deserve much better. I look forward to seeing this commitment upheld. 

    MIL OSI USA News –